CoersionRape Essay Research Paper CoersionRapecoerce koers vb

Coersion/Rape Essay, Research Paper

Coersion/Rape

co-erce ko-ers vb co-erced; co-ercing 1: RESTRAIN, REPRESS 2: COMPEL 3:

ENFORCE

–co-er-sion -er-zhen,shen n –co-er-cive -er-siv adj rape ^r`ap n 1:

a carrying away by force 2: sexual intercourse by a man with a woman without

her consent and chiefly by force or deception; also : unlawful sexual

intercourse of any kind by force or threat

As if the line between normal and acceptable consensual sex and rape

wasn’t thin enough already, there are those out there that wish to make it an

even narrower, less defined and more twisting line to stay on the right side of.

It seems as though somehow, somewhere, someone decided that the two terms

defined above are in some way related. However, in the manner of logic which I

possess, they are not. The debate now is rape, and what constitutes that once

horridly thought of crime. In the opinion of some, rape is no longer just a

physical act of violence that accompanies uninvited sex. Rape, as defined by

some, can occur even when the two parties involved agree verbally or otherwise

to have sex. This to me, seems absurd. In the most basic terms, and with the

simplest definitions, no means no, and okay, yeah, yes and please, all mean yes.

The term “NO” is not very complicated, and is probably the word that was

repeated to us the most as children, so we should all get that one right. But

still, how can yes mean no. Apparently through a term known as “verbal

coersion,” which allows a large grey area to form between these simple answers

to sometimes complicated questions.

“Verbal Coersion” is not a term you will find in the dictionary, at

least not in any of the ones I own. In an article by David R. Carlin, Jr., he

states that as he interprets this term “rape [can] occur even when consent is

given, provided this consent is influenced by external pressures and is not

simply the result of internal desire.(12; par.3).” I find this to be an

acceptable definition of coersion as it relates to sexual situations, although I

feel strongly that under no circumstance can coersion constitute rape, once the

coerced has consented to full physical acceptance of sexual advances.

Although coersion can be exercised through many different approaches, I

contend that the entire idea that verbal coersion can constitute rape is

inadequate on one main principle. In order to coerce someone, that someone must

allow the coercing to occur. If a man who is trying to gain sexual favors from

a woman attempts to seduce her through flattery, promises and so on, doesn’t end

up getting what he wants, no coersion has taken place. His attempt has failed.

This is true only because the woman hasn’t allowed herself to succumb to his

charms. But if this is all that occurred, in no sense of the word has he

attempted to “rape” her. If a man has a girlfriend or wife who is not in the

mood for sex, and the man threatens to go find sex elsewhere or threatens to

leave her, this is, in a way, coersion. This is not just a simple coercive

statement though. It is coersion through blackmail, and is unkind and immoral,

but again, it is not an attempted rape. Nor is it illegal.

I think that Camille Paglia is probably a good example of a person who

would not allow herself to be coerced. In her essay “It’s a Jungle Out There”

she exhibits a massive general mistrust of the male gender as an entire group.

She argues that “Hunt, pursuit, and capture are biologically programmed into

male sexuality(637; par.10)” as she attempts to warn young women about the

perils of behaving with naivety in the presence of young men, who have but one

thing on their mind, and, supposedly, are willing to go to any lengths to get it.

I truly doubt that this woman, or her younger counterparts who share this

attitude, would willingly follow an intoxicated member of a fraternity up to his

room, an expect nothing would happen. I doubt that any form or amount of

coersion could change this, for their attitude is too defensive. They would be

distrustful of anything a young man might do or say. In order for this type of

woman to have sex with a man, she must first truly desire to, and all women, in

my opinion, are capable of being this strong and self-reliant.

Coersion, as I see it, is a practice as common for most people as

brushing their teeth before bed. I think that we are all guilty of being

coercive, for in our society coersion is the ladder on which we stand to reach

up and get that which we desire. We coerce others to see things our way, do the

things we want to do, and to aide in making compromises that will be found

acceptable to more than one party. Others coerce us for the same reasons, as

well as many more. Everyday, we are exposed to an average of over seven-hundred

advertisements which attempt to cajole us into buying a new product or

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